1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to method and a device to make a single or a multiple serving of a select flavored, carbonated or noncarbonated beverage and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for providing an individual serving ‘bottling plant’ for creating such beverages.
2. Description of the Related Art
While coffee makers and hot beverage makers have existed for quite some time, a relatively new market development has been created for single serve beverage appliances. Such machines are all designed to quickly brew a single cup of coffee or tea at a time. In the United States, the most commercially and widely available of these is made by Keurig Company, in which the grounds are pre-manufactured into prepared, single-serving pod called K-Cups®. Once the machine has heated the water, the user inserts a K-Cup® into the machine, places a mug under the spout, and presses an actuation button to allow hot water to be then dispensed through the K-Cup®. The K-Cup® forms an internal brewing volume, and allows for sufficient mixing and steeping time to form a brewed beverage before being filtered there through into the mug. In this manner, a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate is prepared. By omitting the K-Cup®, users can also merely prepare a mug of hot water, which can then be dispensed for use in making hot cocoa, tea, instant soup, or other hot drinks directly within the mug.
Devices of similar end use exist by Flavia™ Beverage Systems (a division of Mars, Incorporate), Nesspresso™ (of Nestlé Nespresso S.A., an operating unit of the Nestlé Group), Senseo® coffee brewing system from Dutch companies Philips and Douwe Egberts, a subsidiary of Sara Lee Corporation), and the Tassimo™ Hot Beverage System (developed by Kraft Foods, Inc.), just to name a few.
To date, such single serve beverage appliances are targeted, and therefore limited, in their capabilities: hot beverages made by brewing, steeping or the like. Consequently, a need exists for an on-demand, in situ single dose cold beverage machine capable of creating sparkling or non-sparkling flavored waters, juices or sodas.